Learning to Breathe
by IsisIzabel
Summary: Picks up where the season 2 finale ended. McKono Steve/Kono centric. Eventual M.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_Relax_.

She could hear the word as clearly as if her father had whispered it into her ear. Fighting against instinct, Kono forced her body to relax in the water. First rule of surfing was learning how to hold your breath when a wave dragged you under. Initial instinct screamed to struggle and thrash until breaking the surface, but that was often what killed inexperienced surfers. Her father had taught her as a child to relax and wait for the lull between waves to surface.

Her struggles stilled and she stopped sinking, her body's normal buoyancy kicking in, but she was still at least a dozen feet from the surface with no way to propel her body to the surface. She could see the moon, watery and muddled, above her. An engine churned to life a few feet to her left as the boat started.

The momentum of the propellers flipped her twice as it came about and headed back to shore.

Panic swelled hard in her chest. The Pacific had been her second home since she was a child. The idea of dying in it, of being _killed_ by it, was unfathomable. The cruel irony wasn't lost on her.

She tried working her legs together, remembering the summer she had her tonsils out as a child and watched _The Little Mermaid_ every day, twice a day, for a week. As soon as she was allowed, she splashed into the water, determined to swim like a mermaid. She moved her legs in tandem as though they were a single fin. The result made her mother laugh for hours, but Kono was convinced she could make it as a mermaid.

She tried that now, rolling her body upwards, and feeling a surge of joy when she realized she was a bit closer to the surface. She repeated the motion again and again. After what seemed like an agonizing hour, but could only have been a minute at best, her head broke the surface. She gasped in a sharp breath before sinking back down.

She tried again, her head slipping above the surface just long enough for her to suck in another breath, this time with some salt water. She choked underwater, resisting the urge to try and breathe to clear her lungs.

She could hear a dull roaring as it approached and then lights moved on the surface.

Her heart sank as she realized it was probably the kidnapper come back to finish her off. He had probably seen her struggles and realized she wasn't dying as easily as planned. She let her body slide even deeper into the ocean, not fighting anymore. Maybe she could play dead until they passed. The burning ache lining her chest told her she wouldn't be able to hold off that long. She either had to surface and risk being shot or sink and drown.

Neither option was particularly appealing.

Two splashes above her made her look up. Something hard hit the water and was moving towards her. A firm hand latched onto her arm in a bruising grip and started hauling her up. Seconds later she surfaced, gasping in a lungful of air and coughing it back out. Her lungs burned as she worked to expel the seawater that had been trapped there. Fire spread across her chest and up her throat as she threw up the salt water back into the ocean.

"Easy, babe," a voice admonished gently.

A hand wrapped around her waist, towing her through the dark waters. Kono tried to blink the water out of her eyes, but she kept coughing and it seemed easier to just keep the closed. Then she was being handed up and out of the water, pulled by strong hands and passed into another waiting set of hands. A scratchy wool blanket was wrapped around her shoulders, followed by two strong arms.

"I got you," the voice said roughly. "You're OK."

Swallowing back another round of coughing, Kono pulled back and looked into two very worried blue eyes.

"Danny?"

He smoothed her wet hair back with a hand, keeping the other locked around her waist and holding her upright. "Jesus," he whispered. He pulled her close again, hugging her hard and pressing his lips against her temple for a brief second. "You scared the shit out of me, Kono."

"What … How did you—" She was cut off as she started coughing once more.

Danny guided her to a bench on the boat, waving over two people with an orange medical bag.

"Chin called," Danny explained as the medics began checking her vitals. He edged away a bit to give them better access to her, running his hands through his hair. "He told me what happened and that I needed to get to you."

Kono winced as the blood pressure cuff tightened around her bicep by the female medic. The male slipped an oxygen mask over her face which she promptly pushed away.

"Why? Is Chin OK? Where is he?" Worry for her cousin flooded her and she shivered hard against the wind as the boat cut a quick path to the harbor. She knew something had to be wrong if Chin wasn't there.

"Would you put that back on?" Annoyance flashed in Danny's eyes as her slipped the mask back over her mouth and nose. He let his fingers linger against her head, as if assuring himself she was real. After a beat he sank into the seat beside her.

Kono took a deep breath, relieved to feel some of the pressure lifting off her chest. She glanced around and realized they were on a Coast Guard ship. She tried to smile at the medical officers attending to her. One pressed a stethoscope against her chest and she flinched as the cold metal made contact with her skin.

"It was Delano," Danny continued, reaching for her hand and squeezing it. "He set the whole thing up. Fryer being shot, you being kidnapped … He also took Malia."

Kono reached up to yank the mask off, but Danny stopped her.

"Malia's at the hospital," Danny said softly. "Chin is with her. Delano tried to make him choose between you and Malia. I don't think he planned on letting either of you live since he shoved you overboard and shot Malia."

Her eyes went wide with fear and her fingers curled into his, her nails cutting hard into the back of his hand.

"I'm not sure what's happening," Danny admitted, already knowing what she was wondering. "I told Chin to get her and I came after you." He rubbed soothing circle against her back, trying to relax her muscles. "We'll head to the hospital now. Get you checked out and see how Malia is."

Kono nodded weakly. The terror of the last few hours washed over her, weighing her down. She leaned gratefully against Danny's shoulder and let her eyes slide shut as the boat raced to the shore.

* * *

"I can only imagine how many questions you have." Doris McGarrett twisted her hands together as she sat across from her son.

Steve blinked slowly, still unable to accept the woman sitting across from him was his mother. Her dark hair was longer and streaked with silver. Her blue eyes, identical to his own, were tired and sad.

"How?" The question slipped past his lips before he could censor it.

Doris smiled gently, leaning forward on the beaten sofa until her forearms rested on her legs. "It was your father's idea. Neither of us wanted to do it, but when it became obvious you and your sister were in danger, we staged the accident. Joe helped," she admitted as an afterthought.

A muscle popped in his jaw and he leaned back in the wooden chair. "Why didn't you come find me? Why all the secrecy? Why let Mary and I think you were dead for the last fifteen years?"

"Honey, it was to keep you _safe_," she stressed. She rubbed her pals against her jeans. "All your father and I wanted was for you and your sister to grow up _safe_ and away from all of this."

"It's over now," he argued heatedly, getting to his feet and stalking the length of the small hut. "Wo Fat is in prison. You can come home—"

Doris surged to her feet. "No." She spoke the word sharply and coldly. Her entire body stiffened. "No, Steve. This isn't over. Wo Fat is only a small piece to a very large puzzle."

He crossed the room to her, taking her thin shoulders in his large hands, eyes blazing with determination. "I can help you. _Let_ me help you."

Her hands came up and covered his. "No, honey. You can't. This isn't your fight."

"They killed my father," Steve spat, stepping back. "This is most definitely my fight."

She rubbed her temples, sighing. "I knew it was a mistake to bring you here. I don't know why I let Joe talk me into it."

Her admission hit him like a slap in the face. "This wasn't your idea?"

Doris looked at him, exhaustion lines marring her face. "This was all Joe. He knew you wouldn't let this go, and you've been getting so close … He said this might help you get closure. But you can't help me right now, Steve. This is bigger than you know. I can't risk you."

"I'm not exactly helpless," he scoffed.

Her gaze softened and she reached up, touching his face. "No, you aren't. I am _so_ proud of you. Joe and your father kept me informed about all your work with the SEALs, and the task force you created in Hawaii? Steve, I could not be more proud of you."

She took a deep breath. "But that's where you need to be now. We both have a job to do, and I promise if I need you, I will call. Or send Joe. But for now, it has to be this way." She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Steve hugged her back, a desperate feeling churning in his gut. "I'm not going to see you for a while, am I?"

Doris stepped back, wiping her eyes. "No. Not until I can finish what we started."

"And Mary?"

"You can't tell her, sweetheart. She can't know."

Steve nodded and moved a few steps away, swallowing the hard lump in his throat. "Right. I understand."

A knock at the door had them both turning. Steve had his gun drawn in seconds, aiming it low. A glance backward showed his mother had her own clutched in her hands. He briefly wondered where she had been hiding that when the door pushed open and Joe stepped inside.

He held his hands up until they both lowered their guns. He extended a hand holding a phone to Steve.

"It's Danny. Something happened in Hawaii."

* * *

Kono couldn't breathe again. Chin had stepped into the cubicle and immediately hauled her into his arms as Danny stepped out to make a phone call. He was squeezing all the air from her lungs.

"I can't breathe, cuz," she warned lightly, only half teasing.

Chin shook his head as he eased his grip. He leaned away from her, his expression haggard and worn. "I thought I'd lost you." He shook his head and sucked in a ragged breath.

She smiled softly, trying to reassure him. "I'm right here." She hesitated. "How's Malia?"

A shadow crossed his face and he looked away. "She's in surgery. Doctors are worried the bullet may have hit her lung. A few inches to the left and…" He didn't need to finish. A shudder ripped through his body.

Kono reached for his hands, clasping them hard in hers. "She's a fighter, Chin. She's going to make it."

He looked back at her and she could see the internal war raging behind his eyes. "When Delano told me I had to pick one of you—"

"You made the right call," Kono said quickly, cutting him off before he could apologize or explain. "I would've been pissed if you picked me. And Malia never would have let you live it down."

Chin hugged her again, his touch more gentle this time. "I can't lose her, Kono. I … If I lose her …" He stumbled over the words, unable to finish the sentence.

"You _won't_," Kono assured him, turning her face into his shoulder and holding him for a few long seconds until the doctor came in with Danny trailing behind.

"Officer Kalakawa, my name is Doctor Rhodes," he greeted with a warm smile. He pushed his wire-rimmed glasses higher up the bridge of his nose as he glanced at her chart. "Doesn't look like there's any permanent damage from the swim and you only have a mild concussion from the hit you took to the head. A few bumps and bruises, but those are all superficial."

Kono frowned. If this was a mild concussion she'd hate to have a severe one. The pounding in her head was enough to make her dizzy. She didn't even remember being hit on the head in her house. She had woken up on the boat with a wicked headache that rivaled the one she had the morning after drinking an entire bottle of tequila in high school.

"I'd like to keep you overnight for observation to be on the safe side, but you can probably go home in the morning." Dr. Rhodes glanced at both Danny and Chin as he talked.

"No," Kono sputtered. "I want to go home now."

"You need to stay here and rest," Danny told her, using what she had dubbed his 'Daddy Voice.' It was the one he used when giving an order under the guise of suggestion.

Her gaze swung to his and she made a mental note not to move her head so quickly. "I just want to sleep in my own bed, guys."

"Delano's still out there, Kono. Until we figure out where he is, it's better if you stay here where I can post a guard. We need to regroup and attack this fresh in the morning," Danny said quietly. He clapped a hand on Chin's shoulder. "Any word on Malia?"

"Still in surgery," Chin replied quietly. He looked at Kono. "You need to rest."

"Fine, but I can do that in my own bed, guys," she argued.

Danny winced and scrubbed a hand over his face. "Actually you can't. Your house is a crime scene, babe."

She groaned and leaned back in the bed, exhaustion and fatigue starting to win her over. "Fine. But I'm leaving in the morning."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Hospital sheets sucked. They were itchy and rough and threadbare from overuse. Kono shifted in her bed, trying to get comfortable. The bright sunlight from the windows was making that somewhat impossible, though. Her body was still exhausted from the night before and craved more sleep. But sleep was proving to be elusive. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking against the light, and froze.

She definitely wasn't expecting to see _that_.

"Hey." Steve's rough was rough and tired, and there were dark circles under his eyes. He was wearing what Danny referred to as his uniform—khaki cargo pants, white v-neck shirt, and thick soled black boots. His clothes were rumbled and disheveled as if he had worn the same thing all night.

Kono slowly pushed herself up on one arm. Her brow creased as an errant thought came to her. "Have you been watching me sleep?"

With a wry smirk he rubbed a hand over his jaw. "I wanted to make sure you were OK."

"Yeah, I'm—" She stopped herself, suddenly remembering something important. The focus in her eyes sharpened. "Why are you here? Danny said you left the country to find Shelburne. Did you—"

"It's a long, complicated story better left for another day," he said softly, shaking his head. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "How are you feeling?" His blue eyes swept over her quickly before landing back on her gaze.

She winced as a sharp pain lanced through her head. "Been better," she admitted. She lifted a hand to her head and grimaced at the matted tangles she felt. "Ugh."

"I can get the doctor." Steve got to his feet quickly, towering over the bed.

"No," Kono said, shaking her head slightly. "Just a headache."

He slowly sank back into the chair, the plastic cushions creaking in protest under his weight. His expression was unreadable as he looked over her. After a beat he leaned back, jaw tight. "I'm sorry, Kono."

She frowned, puzzled. "For what?"

"I should've been there." He shook his head in disgust. "I should have been there to protect you."

She sighed softly. "Boss, it's not your fault. Unless you were planning on following me home, there was no way you could have stopped this."

He didn't look convinced. "You're part of my team. I should have been here for you. For Chin."

"How's Malia?" She tried changing the subject.

His face cleared a bit. "She's resting. Doctor's think she'll make a full recovery. Probably can go home the end of the week."

"And Chin?"

"I don't think he slept more than a few minutes last night, but he seems to be holding up OK. I saw him a few hours ago."

She nodded slowly. "Any idea when I can get out of here?"

"How quick can you get dressed?" Danny asked as he nudged the door open all the way. He smiled warmly at her, a sheaf of papers clutched in one hand. He waved them dramatically. "Your release papers."

Kono sighed, grateful, and swung her bare legs over the side of the bed.

"Whoa!" Danny protested, turning around. "Uh, Kono, the gown…" He huffed out a long breath as Steve fought back a smile.

Kono rolled her eyes, too excited about leaving to be embarrassed by the gaping back in her hospital gown. Yet another reason why she hated hospitals.

She hesitated on the edge of the bed. "Any idea where my clothes are?"

"Uh, I think the nurse took them and we bagged them as evidence," Danny answered, still turned around. "I'll see if they have a set of scrubs you can use or something." He hurried out of the room.

Shaking her head, Kono edged off the bed until her feet hit the cool tiles of the floor.

Steve eyed her warily. "What are you doing?"

"I need to go to the bathroom," she answered, giving him an odd look. She kept her hands braced on the bed, testing her legs. She grimaced at the slight wobble. The bathroom was less than ten feet away. She would be fine.

As if reading her mind, Steve quietly asked, "You need help?"

She snorted softly. "Boss, please. I've been doing this on my own for years." She got to her feet and made it two steps before her legs buckled under her.

Steve had stood as soon as he saw the slight tremors rack her body. He moved fast and caught her as she started to stumble, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her tight against his side.

"Shit," she muttered, her voice shaking slightly. She forced out and uneasy laugh as she glanced over, slightly unnerved to see Steve's face inches from her own.

"You OK?"

"Yeah," she replied stiffly. "I think—"

Steve swept her up into his arms as if she weighed no more than a pillow.

"What are you doing?" She winced at the high pitch of her voice. "I can walk!"

He scoffed and shook his head, opening the door to the bathroom and barely jostling her. He set her down next to the toilet.

Kono knew her cheeks were red. She could feel the crimson burn all the way to her neck. Having her boss carry her around while she was wearing next to nothing was humiliating. She could still feel the heat from where his hands and arms had cradled her bare skin.

As the only girl in a mostly boys-only club, she always felt like she needed to prove herself and never show weakness. Having Steve carry her around was like taking a giant step back.

But it wasn't entirely unpleasant.

To his credit, his gaze never wandered from her face, despite the fact she knew the ties to her gown had slipped even more, exposing more of her backside.

He grimaced slightly and looked away. "Are you—"

"Oh God, _this_ I can handle alone," she cut in quickly, her hands clutching the sink beside the toilet. She wasn't sure who looked more relieved—her or Steve.

He flashed her a quick smile and ducked out of the bathroom, pulling the door shut behind himself as Danny came back into the room holding green scrubs and a pair of disposable flip flops.

Danny glanced around quickly. "Where's Kono?"

Steve hooked a thumb at the door behind him. He leaned against the wall beside it. "Bathroom."

Danny gave him an odd look. "And you're waiting for her to come out?"

"She got a little shaky and I helped her," Steve replied defensively.

"Yeah, doctor said the knock on her head might mess with her balance a little."

"Should she be leaving the hospital?" Steve demanded, his eyes narrowed with concern.

As if on cue, Kono opened the door and fixed him with a hard glare. "I'm not staying here another minute. I just want to go home and take a shower." She took the clothes from Danny.

"One _small_ problem," Danny said softly, trying to smile. "Your house is still a crime scene, Kono. HPD didn't finish processing it. Might be another day or two."

She groaned and leaned against the door. "Fantastic," she muttered darkly.

"You got family you can stay with?" Danny asked. "I don't think you should stay by yourself right now.

Kono hesitated. Usually she would stay with Chin, but all things considered, her cousin needed to focus on his wife and not her. She could always stay with her aunt or another cousin, but the idea wasn't appealing. Aside from Chin, her family hadn't been very happy she had chosen a career in law enforcement. She could already imagine what they would say about her being attacked and thrown off a boat.

She sighed and rubbed her temples. "I guess I could call my cousin, Lani. I can crash on her couch." Out of all the available relatives, Lani was the best choice. She was an eccentric bartender that kept odd hours with even stranger company, but she knew Lani wouldn't hassle her or ask too many questions.

"Why don't you just stay with me?"

Kono's eyes flew to Steve's, amazed she had just heard him say that.

"Kono stay with _you_?" Danny sputtered, his eyebrows raising to his hairline.

Steve made a face. "_You_ stayed with me."

"I was desperate and out of other options," Danny retorted. His gaze shifted to Kono. "Trust me, his couch isn't that comfortable."

"She can stay in Mary's old room." Steve shrugged with one shoulder.

Danny's mouth dropped open and he raked a hand through his hair. "When I was there you told me I had to sleep on the couch!"

"Because I don't want you sleeping so close to me," Steve replied with a grin. His blue eyes glittered as he glanced at Kono. "He snores."

"I do n—" Danny broke off with a hiss. He breathed out hard through his nose, rubbing his jaw. "You know what? You two do whatever you want." He looked hard at Kono. "But don't say I didn't warn you when he chases you off with his insane rules."

"They're not _insane_," Steve snapped. "You're just a slob."

"And you're a compulsive neat-freak!"

"Guys!" Kono said, holding up her hands. She looked at Steve and smiled slightly. "Thanks. I'll stay with you. Can we just swing by my place to get a few things?"

"Still a crime scene, babe," Danny reminded her as Steve said, "Sure."

They both looked hard at each other, neither flinching.

"We'll catalog everything she takes," Steve said, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

Danny rolled his eyes. "You're the boss."

"That's right, I am," Steve returned with a smirk. He cocked his head to the side and smiled smugly at his partner.

Danny sighed loudly and checked his watch. "I have to get Grace. Rachel's out of town with Stan, and Gabby has a meeting."

"Why don't you and Grace come by for dinner?" Steve offered. "We'll do burgers or something."

Danny nodded, already headed for the door. "Sounds good." He glanced back at Kono as she started to shut the door. "Kono, _try_ to take it easy today, OK?"

She smiled noncommittally and shut the door. She set the clothes on the small table by the shower stall and turned to look at herself in the mirror. Her eyes widened at what she saw.

Dark circles blackened the skin under her eyes and her hair was a total mess. There was no hiding the ugly bruise that spread from her temple to her cheek. She vaguely remembered one of the men hitting her when she was on the boat and tried fighting back. She managed to catch one in the knees before they tied her ankles together.

Sliding the gown off revealed more bruises and some scratches from being dragged down the dock. She reached for the clothes Danny had found and slowly pulled them on. She tried to comb her hair as best as she could with her fingers, finally resigning herself to the fact that she looked like crap and just needed to deal with it.

She walked slowly to the door and pulled it open, surprised to see Steve standing beside a wheelchair. She lifted her chin a notch.

"I can walk out of here."

They both knew it was a lie. She was already exhausted from the last five minutes on her feet and she knew he could read it in her eyes and posture.

"Sure you can," he agreed easily, "but its hospital policy."

"And we both know what a stickler you are for policies," she murmured, moving to the chair. She couldn't help but notice how his eyes tracked her every step and she knew if she stumbled he would catch her. Thankfully she made it to the chair and sank into it without incident.

He waited for her to get situated before pushing her out of the room and down the hall.

"Can we stop and see Chin and Malia?" she asked softly.

He paused by the elevators and hit a button. "She's in ICU, so only family and one visitor at a time. But Chin said he'd be over for dinner tonight when visiting hours were over."

Kono nodded slowly. "Right."

Steve pushed her into the elevator and then to the entrance of the hospital. He watched her carefully as she stood on her own and walked out the door slowly.

She blinked against the brilliance of the Hawaiian sun and let her eyes adjust to the bright array of colors and the warmth of the sun against her skin.

"I'm over there," he pointed, putting his hand on the small of her back to guide her.

Kono laughed outright at seeing his truck double parked by the curb. Only Steve would be brazen enough to do that. She made it to the passenger side as he unlocked the doors. She pulled hers open and eyed the seat.

His truck was significantly higher than her car, and she was wondering how she would make it up when his hands closed around her waist and picked her up. He set her in the passenger seat and closed the door as if he did that on a daily basis.

Kono watched him move around the truck and, realizing she was staring, scrambled to click her seatbelt in place before he got in. The truck roared to life as he started it and pulled out to exit the hospital parking lot.

They drove in silence and Kono slowly started to relax. She didn't feel the need to fill the empty space with small talk about useless things. But at the same time she became acutely aware of the way his truck smelled like him—the soft scent of his soap and saltwater mixed together. And the way he drummed his fingers against the steering wheel to an old Metallica song as they drove.

It only took ten minutes to get to her small house and she grimaced at seeing the yellow police tape wrapped around the front door. He put the truck in park and fixed her with a calm stare.

"If you want I can just run in and grab a few things for you," he suggested gently.

She considered the idea for a moment before the image of Steve rifling through her underwear drawer popped into her mind. She choked for a second and coughed hard.

"I'm good," she assured him when worry crowded his eyes.

Without another word she opened the door and slid down to the ground. She met him at the front of the truck and they walked up together.

Kono hesitated in front of the door. She glanced over at him. "I don't know if it's locked," she admitted.

Steve tried the door and it didn't give. "I have a pick set in my truck."

She laughed and motioned to the flowerbed a foot away. "Or we can use the spare key I have inside the rock over there."

He smiled broadly. "Or we could do that." He retrieved the key and opened the door smoothly, holding the tape aside so she could duck under.

She sucked in a sharp breath when she saw the disaster that was her living room. A lamp was smashed, her coffee table toppled, and her couch shoved in a strange direction. Several pictures had fallen off the walls. A fight had clearly taken place here. There was just one problem:

"I don't remember _any_ of this," she whispered, looking at the damage.

"Whoa," Steve said softly. His hand settled on her shoulder. "You fought back, Kono. That's good."

She couldn't help but smile at the pride in his voice. "Yeah, but I don't _remember_ what happened. It's totally blank."

His hand settled briefly on her shoulder. "Don't force it. It'll come back when you're ready."

"I guess so," she murmured as she moved past the room and headed down the hall to her bedroom. She grabbed an overnight bag from her closet and started throwing clothes into it. She could hear Steve moving around down the hall, probably looking for clues.

She headed for her bathroom and grabbed all her toiletries. She came back into her room, tossing them into the bag as Steve came to her room. He leaned against the doorframe and looked around.

Kono shifted, watching as he surveyed her room. He had been inside her house, but never here. She felt oddly exposed watching his eyes detailing her room. She watched his eyes linger on the single photo on her dresser.

It was a photo of Five-O, Malia and Grace at a King's game from a month earlier.

"That was a good day," he said softly, moving into the room slowly and picking up the frame.

She looked over his shoulder and nodded. "Yeah."

He put it back and looked over at her. "Did you notice if anything was missing?"

She shook her head numbly. She reached for the small jewelry box behind the picture and checked. Nothing was missing. She owned very little jewelry, and what she did have was mostly inexpensive.

A thought struck her and she moved quickly around Steve, heading for the hall closet. She flung the door open and grabbed the lock box from the top shelf. She spun the dial quickly and opened the lid, relieved to see her service weapon and badge still inside. She sighed and leaned against the door.

"Where's your back up?"

"Glove compartment in my car," she replied. She watched him head for the door, grabbing her keys from the hook on the wall as he went. He was back minutes later with the small gun he had gifted her at her makeshift graduation ceremony.

She took the badge and gun in the box as well as the one he had and put them all in her bag. She glanced one last time around her room.

"Ready?" Steve asked, already shouldering her bag.

Kono nodded and followed him out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Kono had always loved Steve's house. Mostly because his backyard pushed right up to the Pacific, and she had always wanted beachfront property. The idea of sliding into the ocean anytime she wanted was more than a little appealing.

Steve opened the front door and ushered her inside, setting her bag on the couch. For the first time all day he looked slightly unsure of what to do next. Kono mentally filed that image away, sure it would be a long time until she saw it again.

"Are you hungry? I mean, I can give you the tour first or …" He trailed off with a chuckle, rubbing his hand across the back of his neck. He gave her a wry smile that she returned hesitantly.

"Look, make yourself at home. Seriously," he added.

She touched the ends of her hair and grimaced. They felt like straw. "Shower would be great."

His grin was quick and easy and a little self-deprecating, as if he should have thought of that first. "Right." He grabbed her bag and headed for the stairs. He got to the top and turned left. "Your room," he pointed out as they passed. Kono had a fleeting glimpse of hardwood floors and a white comforter.

"My room," he gestured to a few doors down. He paused at the door between their rooms and leaned against the wall. "Bathroom."

She stuck her head in and bit down a smirk at how obsessively clean everything was. She turned back to him and smiled. "This is great. Thanks."

He sighed and set the bag on the counter by the sink. "Anytime. Towels are in the closet across the hall." He started to back out and paused. "You hungry? I was going to make a sandwich…"

Her stomach rumbled loudly as if on cue. She grinned sheepishly as he laughed loudly. "I could eat."

"Yeah, I got that," he drawled lazily. He paused for a fraction of a second as if he was going to say something else before simply brushing past her and heading for the stairs.

Kono snagged two towels before closing herself into the bathroom. She shrugged out of the soft scrubs and turned the shower on full blast. She grabbed all the shower essentials before stepping under the strong spray, letting the water wash away the layer of grime left from the salt water.

* * *

Steve was just finishing the sandwiches when he heard the stairs creak, indicating Kono was coming down. She rounded the corner to the kitchen a minute later, her hair dripping and curling around her bare shoulders.

He extended a plate to her and grabbed two bottles of water. "I thought we'd sit outside."

"You read my mind." When given the option, Kono always preferred being outside. She opened the sliding door for them both and waited for him to get outside before shutting it and joining him.

She settled into the adirondack chair and balanced her plate on her knees. Grabbing the ham and cheese sandwich she took a bite, forcing herself to chew slowly and not just swallow the food.

"What do you remember?" he asked after a few moments of silence, twisting the cap off his water and taking a drink.

She frowned, looking out at the water. "Not much. The boat I was on was like an old fishing trawler. I couldn't read a name or make out anything distinguishing. It wasn't new—there was too much rust and chipped paint. It's all kind of fuzzy."

"How many guys?"

"Three," she answered automatically. "One captain and the two guys watching me. I woke up when they were tying me up. Managed to kick one of them." She left out the part where the guy backhanded her for her trouble.

Steve laughed softly. "Good for you. You remember what they look like?"

"I'd seen one of them hanging around Delano, but he never introduced us. Six foot, light brown hair, gray eyes. Has a tattoo of a shark on his right arm. I never heard his name." Kono's brow wrinkled as she tried to remember. "The other was shorter, stockier. Two earrings in his left ear, gold tooth. I think his hair was black or dark brown. It was too hard to see."

"And the captain of the boat?" Steve finished his sandwich and set the plate on the table beside them.

"I barely saw him. He stayed in the wheelhouse the whole time and the glass was too dirty."

He leaned forward and studied her. "How long were you on the boat?"

"No idea. I came to when we were already on it," she said softly. "I wasn't along for long. Maybe fifteen minutes? Then they…" She sighed, unable to find the words.

A dark look shadowed his face and his hand tightened around the water bottle, the plastic crunching and crackling under the pressure. "How long were you in the water?"

_Forever_. "A few minutes?" she guessed aloud. She ran a hand through her damp hair and shivered despite the heat. "I don't know how long it was until Danny found me."

He sighed loudly. "Kono—"

She kept her eyes trained on the water. "If you apologize again I'm going to smack you." Her lips quirked up slightly and she knew without looking he was grinning, the tense moment broken for the time being.

"Fair enough," he murmured, downing the last of his water. He stood up and collected their plates. "Feel like a swim?"

Her eyes glittered as she looked up at him. "Thought you'd never ask."

* * *

Standing at the edge of the water, Kono felt a sharp stab of panic when she remembered the night before. As soon as the foamy swells of the first wave crashed against her ankles, the memories slipped away with the tide and she felt that rush of peace that always centered her. She was home.

"Race you to the point?"

She glanced at Steve and smirked. "You're asking me to race a SEAL in the ocean?" She snorted and shook her head. "I don't think so, brah."

"I'll give you a head start," he teased, nudging her with his shoulder.

She tipped her head back and laughed loudly. She checked him out from the corner of her eye and lunged forward, shoving him back hard into the sand. He landed with am _oomph_, the stunned look on his face making her laugh harder.

"You're on!" She shouted over her shoulder as she dashed into the waves. She lifted her knees as the surf crashed against her, moving as fast as possible through the water, knowing Steve would be hot on her heels.

She dove under the next wave, reveling in the feel of the water. She surfaced and started swimming hard for the point. She had made it a few yards when she felt a firm hand clamp around her ankle and pull her back.

She went under and for a moment panicked. Her free leg kicked out and she felt it connect with the body that held her. A second later her head came up and she sucked in a sharp breath moments before strong arms caged her in.

"Kono, it's _me_." Steve's voice cut through the initial fear and settled her. She went still and let him tread water for them both.

"I'm so sorry—I wasn't thinking," he apologized softly, still holding her tight against his chest. "I shouldn't have—"

"It's _fine_," she cut in sharply, unable to meet his gaze. She felt her cheeks turning red. She felt embarrassed and weak.

"No, it's _not_ fine," he snapped. She looked up, surprised to see the anger glinting in his steely eyes.

His gaze narrowed a second before her smoothed her hair off her face. "I'm sorry. I should have thought about grabbing you before I did."

"I feel stupid," she admitted, slowly becoming aware of the way his body was pressed intimately against hers, the waves rocking them closer together as they bobbed in the ocean. "I knew it was you, and I still just … I panicked."

"Of course you did," he said softly. His thumb absently stroked the skin above her bikini bottoms against her hip. "I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing," she muttered, more heat flooding her face. She ducked her head and looked at the horizon.

"No, I'm sorry about what happened to you last night," he clarified gently, squeezing her hip. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Kono turned her face to answer him, and paused. Her nose nearly brushed his, but neither one of them seemed in a hurry to pull back. This close she could see his eyes were the same color as the water surrounding them, and just a liquid and warm. She licked her lip unconsciously and opened her mouth to say something.

A shout back at the beach had them twisting sharply.

Grace waved energetically from the shore, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Danny stood behind her, his hands shoved deep in his pockets.

Steve ad Kono broke apart slowly and started swimming back to the beach, both studiously ignoring the way Danny watched them as they came out of the water.


End file.
